CHAPTER 99

Tang Ruoyao raised an eyebrow.

Jiang Xuezhen yielded faster than she had anticipated.

Zhou Yi was about to say anything, but Jiang Xuezhen interrupted him, displaying an unusual firmness in her attitude. She said, "She's right. Tang Fei is also my son. I can't leave him with nothing."

Zhou Yi fell silent for a moment and didn't utter a word.

Jiang Xuezhen continued, "I want a formal and valid agreement, is that possible?" She was still being cautious. In case Tang Ruoyao took Tang Fei away and didn't allow her to see him, she would be left in a difficult situation, with no means to reach them.

Lawyer Chang looked at Tang Ruoyao, and she nodded in response.

Jiang Xuezhen's actions were driven by her own narrow-mindedness, assuming that others were just like her. If Tang Ruoyao truly wanted to take Tang Fei away, she wouldn't have let him appear before Jiang Xuezhen. Tang Ruoyao could have returned to the capital early, leaving only a lawyer to handle the subsequent matters, leaving Jiang Xuezhen with nothing and unable to gain anything.

But Tang Ruoyao couldn't be bothered to explain because even if she did, Jiang Xuezhen wouldn't believe her.

Tang Ruoyao had already discussed the request with Lawyer Chang. She didn't want to say another word to Jiang Xuezhen. The living room was filled with conversation, and she got up and sat next to Qin Yinong. Tang Fei, seeing the situation, tactfully stood aside next to Guan Han.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Tang Ruoyao remained silent and took hold of one of Qin Yinong' hands, naturally intertwining their fingers and gently squeezing each of her fingertips.

Qin Yinong: "!!!"

What on earth was happening?

In front of so many people, didn't she have any sense of shame?

She began to struggle, trying to withdraw her hand.

"Senior Qin." Tang Ruoyao looked at her and softly said, pursing her lips. "I'm not happy."

Qin Yinong remained silent for a moment and then allowed her to hold her hand.

When a child is in a bad mood, sometimes it's best give in a little.

Guan Han and Tang Fei exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with the same understanding.

Because of Tang Fei, Tang Ruoyao showed kindness towards Jiang Xuezhen. After Jiang Xuezhen yielded, the whole process went smoothly. Tang Ruoyao hadn't even held Qin Yinong's hand firmly enough when Lawyer Chang called out to her, "Miss Tang, it's done."

Tang Ruoyao returned to her own seat.

Qin Yinong lowered her eyelids and looked at the empty space between her fingers. Her heart felt empty at the same time. When Tang Ruoyao held her hand earlier, their fingers were intertwined.

She pursed her lips, picked up the folded towel beside her, and laid it on her lap, hiding both of her hands inside.

While Tang Ruoyao was talking to Lawyer Chang, she suddenly got distracted and said, "Senior Qin, are you cold?"

Qin Yinong uncomfortably moved her fingers under the thin blanket. Her expression was calm, showing no emotions, as she said, "I'm fine. You go ahead and do your thing. Don't worry about me."

Guan Han thought to herself, 'Wouldn't it be nice if you just went over and hugged her right now?'

As the conversation came to an end, Jiang Xuezhen called out, "Tang Fei." Tears shimmered in her eyes.

Tang Fei looked at Tang Ruoyao.

Tang Ruoyao nodded, and step by step, Tang Fei approached his mother, whispering, "Mom."

Jiang Xuezhen stood up. Tang Fei was already quite tall, about the same height as his mother. Jiang Xuezhen raised her hand and adjusted his collar while giving him instructions on trivial matters. She told him to study hard and listen to his sister, her words becoming choked with emotion towards the end. Tang Fei responded, and his eyes turned red too.

The atmosphere became filled with sadness for a moment.

But Tang Ruoyao didn't intervene. After the mother and son finished their conversation, she personally got up and escorted Lawyer Chang out.

Qin Yinong sat for a while. When the play ended, she covered her mouth and yawned.

Tang Ruoyao returned and witnessed this scene. She picked up her phone, checked the time—it was already one-thirty in the afternoon, past lunchtime—and suggested, "Senior Qin, why don't you take a nap? I'll go out and buy groceries, and by the time you wake up, we can have a meal."

Qin Yinong glanced at her and said lightly, "You've been busy all morning too. Aren't you tired?"

Tang Ruoyao blinked and smiled, saying, "Are you concerned about me?"

Qin Yinong immediately turned cold and said, "I want chicken stew with mushrooms."

"Alright." Tang Ruoyao responded, her lips curved with a smile. However, she walked towards Qin Yinong's direction, and Qin Yinong abruptly stood up, brushing past her. "I'll go take a nap. Hurry up and go buy groceries."

Tang Ruoyao chuckled.

Guan Han shook her head inwardly. Qin Jie was being eaten alive, and she had less and less room to turn things around.

Qin Yinong entered the room and leaned against the door, gently biting her lower lip with a complex expression on her face.

What was happening to her? Even when she was slightly closer to Tang Ruoyao, she felt her heart race, requiring more willpower than usual to restrain herself from getting closer to her, from embracing her.

Was it because of last night? It wasn't the first time she had been with Tang Ruoyao, and back then, it wasn't like it is now.

This couldn't go on.

Qin Yinong closed her eyes and struggled to do some self-reflection.

Knock, knock, knock—

A knocking sound.

And Tang Ruoyao, persistently lingering, softly calling out: "Senior Qin?" He voice had a gentle upward inflection.

The protective wall Qin Yinong had just built in her heart shattered, and she panicked, looking around like a startled deer in the woods. She hurriedly took off her coat, lay on the bed, pulled the covers over herself, closed her eyes, and pretended to be asleep. In a lazy tone, she said, "I'm sleeping. What's the matter?"

Tang Ruoyao asked gently from outside the door, "Can I come in?"

Qin Yinong, associating it with some memory from who knows when, suddenly felt a rush of heat to her face, and her ears turned red.

She stammered, "What... what is it exactly?"

Tang Ruoyao found the tone inside strange and couldn't figure out what had happened. Curiously, she pressed her ear closer to the door and said through the crack, "I want to go to the market, but I'm not dressed appropriately. I want to come in and change clothes."

Qin Yinong forcefully pinched the palm of her hand with her nails, restraining her restless heartbeat, and composed herself, saying, "Come in."

"So, can I come in?" Tang Ruoyao pushed the door open and entered.

Qin Yinong lay on her side with her back to the wardrobe, eyes closed, and the covers pulled below her nose, breathing shallowly.

Tang Ruoyao furrowed her brows.

Wouldn't it be stuffy like this?

She opened the wardrobe and casually picked out an outfit to wear outside. Swiftly and skillfully, she changed into it without paying much attention to Qin Yinong because she was in a hurry. She neatly folded the clothes she took off and let Qin Yinong know, saying, "I'm heading out."

Qin Yinong made a soft sound of acknowledgment, indicating that she heard.

After Tang Ruoyao opened and closed the door, Qin Yinong caught a glimpse of her back wearing light blue jeans, tight around the waist with excellent elasticity, outlining her figure...

Qin Yinong subconsciously swallowed and abruptly pulled the blanket above her forehead.

This was dangerous.

After Tang Ruoyao closed the door, she suddenly looked down and stood still for a while, as if frozen in place. Then she slowly blinked her eyelashes and went to the entrance to change shoes before leaving.

Tang Fei didn't accompany her, he also needed to sort out his feelings.

Tang Ruoyao busied herself alone for half an afternoon, knocking on doors one by one to wake people up for meals. Lunch and dinner were combined into one. The dining table was devoid of the liveliness from the previous day, with only the sound of chopsticks occasionally tapping against the edge of bowls.

In the afternoon, Qin Yinong initially thought that with her restless mind, she would never fall asleep. But unexpectedly, she drifted off into dreamland in a daze. When Tang Ruoyao knocked on the door to call her for dinner, she was still a bit dazed, and it took her a while to come to her senses.

Since she came to the Tang household, she seemed to sleep more than when she was awake, as if she was eager to make up for the lost sleep from before.

"In which hospital is your father staying?" Qin Yinong was the first to break the silence at the unusually quiet dining table, casually asking.

"The Renmin Hospital." Tang Ruoyao swallowed her food before answering.

"It's still early." Qin Yinong said, "Are we going to the hospital to see your father later?"

"You..." Tang Ruoyao seemed almost incredulous, and she slowly uttered the rest of her sentence, "Are you coming with me?"

Qin Yinong replied calmly, "Or else, are you going alone? Or should I go alone?"

Tang Ruoyao hurriedly said, "I didn't mean that. I just... just..." Qin Yinong was willing to accompany her to see Tang Hanzhang, which was equivalent to meeting her parents. Tang Ruoyao felt a surge of joy, making her words incoherent.

Qin Yinong interrupted her, saying, "I've been causing trouble in your home for so long, so it's only right to meet your uncle."

Tang Ruoyao had learned to automatically ignore her various excuses, and she restrained her excitement and nodded, saying, "Okay." She turned to Tang Fei and asked, "Do you want to come along, Xiao Fei?"

When Tang Fei was at home, he often went to the hospital to visit Tang Hanzhang. Besides, he hadn't graduated from elementary school yet, and Tang Ruoyao planned for him to finish elementary school here before transferring to the capital. So Tang Fei didn't accompany Tang Ruoyao this time and would wait until summer vacation to take advantage of the opportunity to visit Tang Hanzhang.

Tang Fei looked at Qin Yinong, then at Tang Ruoyao, and felt that he had already been a third wheel enough at home, so he didn't need to continue shining at the hospital. He shook his head and said, "I won't go."

Tang Ruoyao looked at her brother with relief.

Tang Fei gave her a knowing look.

Guan Han silently observed, feeling like a groundhog having a meeting in her heart. After meeting the parents, shouldn't they start discussing marriage?!

Qin Yinong remained oblivious to the surging undercurrents at the dining table.

On one hand, Tang Hanzhang could be considered a half acquaintance. On the other hand, she was a guest in their house, and out of courtesy and thoughtfulness, it was only right to go and see Tang Hanzhang, who had been bedridden for a long time. As for meeting the parents, Qin Yinong did consider that aspect, but she forcefully ignored the thought.

Guan Han acted as the driver to the hospital, driving the car they rented yesterday.

Qin Yinong and Tang Ruoyao sat in the back seat. Tang Ruoyao half-closed her eyes, her gaze wandering as she calculated various thoughts. Suddenly, she heard Qin Yinong's serious voice.

"Jiang Xuezhen might not be so easy to get rid of."

"Hmm?" Tang Ruoyao focused her attention and looked at her earnestly.

"She agreed to return the money today, but she might have ulterior motives." Qin Yinong's gaze turned cold, giving her a hint.

"I know." Tang Ruoyao straightened up.

Qin Yinong raised an eyebrow, surprised by her response.

Jiang Xuezhen was Tang Fei's biological mother and tended to be more lenient when it came to matters concerning their child. But Tang Ruoyao could persuade her with just a few words. It wasn't because Jiang Xuezhen had a strong sense of conscience or valued Tang Fei so much that she was willing to give him the majority of her savings. If given the choice, Tang Ruoyao would prefer to hold onto that money herself so she could give him some when he needed it.

But the problem was that she had no choice. Tang Ruoyao was resolute in her attitude and held a life-threatening handle in her hands. She had to settle for a compromise. Although she lost a sum of money, she regained Tang Fei's heart.

Was Jiang Xuezhen foolish? No, she wasn't. She saw things clearly.

She needed reliance, and her reliance was Zhou Yi at present and Tang Fei in the future. Zhou Yi would be her future husband, but marriage could be unpredictable. Just like Tang Hanzhang's unexpected situation, the family could lose its pillar overnight. However, Tang Fei was her biological son, bound by blood ties, and much more reliable than Zhou Yi. Tang Fei also had Tang Ruoyao, the sister who loved her dearly. As long as she held onto Tang Fei, wouldn't everything be in her grasp?

Zhou Yi, Tang Fei, Tang Ruoyao. A clever rabbit has three burrows, and she had three supports, even better than before.

When Qin Yinong heard Tang Ruoyao maliciously speculate about Jiang Xuezhen's motives, she was stunned and remained silent for a while.

Tang Ruoyao's expression eased slightly, and she added, "Perhaps I'm overthinking it, but it's never wrong to be prepared for the worst."

Qin Yinong regained her senses from her shock and couldn't help but ask curiously, "How do you plan to be prepared?"

Tang Fei was tied to Tang Ruoyao, and Tang Fei couldn't possibly ignore his mother and end up seeking her help in the end.

Tang Ruoyao said, "I trust Tang Fei. He knows his boundaries."

Qin Yinong narrowed her eyes and said, "But what if he doesn't? What if Jiang Xuezhen brainwashes him and he turns against you..." It wasn't unheard of for such things to happen. Which relationship was closer, the sibling bond or the mother-child bond? Could Tang Fei stand by Tang Ruoyao's side in both the short and long term?

In the future, when Tang Ruoyao takes him to the capital to live, far from the influence of Jiang Xuezhen, if Tang Fei remembers the goodness of Jiang Xuezhen and wants to return, can Tang Ruoyao stop him?

Tang Ruoyao looked deeply into Qin Yinong's eyes and said, "Raising Tang Fei is not an obligation, but a matter of emotional connection."

Qin Yinong understood and showed a relieved smile.

This statement seemed almost cold-hearted and ruthless.

But it was indeed Tang Ruoyao's true intention. Her persistence in Tang Fei was not only due to their sibling bond but also because he was Tang Hanzhang's child. She didn't want Tang Fei to grow up under the influence of a mother like Jiang Xuezhen. When Tang Hanzhang went to the capital to see her years ago, he unfortunately had a car accident and the chances of him waking up in this lifetime were slim. The heavy guilt in Tang Ruoyao's heart kept her awake on many nights. Tolerating Jiang Xuezhen and raising Tang Fei was her way of compensating for the loss of their originally harmonious family.

Compensation does not equal unconditional compromise. If Tang Fei really goes astray and has the same character as Jiang Xuezhen, she will never sit idly by as Jiang Xuezhen and her whole family suck her dry. That is the worst-case scenario, and she hopes that day never comes.

"Senior Qin."

"Yes?"

"I'm a little tired." Tang Ruoyao leaned closer to her.

Qin Yinong offered her shoulder, and Tang Ruoyao rested her head on it, closing her eyes.

Qin Yinong looked down at the slightly trembling eyelashes of Tang Ruoyao as she rested, feeling a soft ache in her heart.

Dealing with family matters was always exhausting, whether it was natural disasters or trivial matters, they all took a toll on one's emotions. Tang Ruoyao handled this matter very well, with composure and calmness. But if you think about it, she had only recently graduated, just 23 years old. Many young people nowadays are in a state of confusion and bewilderment at that age.

Going back a little further, when Tang Hanzhang had a car accident and urgently needed life-saving money, she was only 19 years old and had just entered the ivory tower, thinking that her future was bright and full of hope. But she was caught off guard by such a blow.

What state of mind did she have when she decided to sell herself back then? Grief? Numbness? Despair?

Qin Yinong's thoughts drifted away, remembering that dinner table four years ago when she heard someone call her name, and she startled like a frightened bird, raising her head in panic. The girl's face was pale, and her gaze first froze when she looked at Qin Yinong, followed by a faint glimmer that quickly disappeared.

It was fear. Sitting among such a group of men, she must have been very scared, right?

Qin Yinong wondered.

There was some distance between home and the Renmin Hospital, and they had come out at a time when rush hour traffic was heavy. The car was moving at a snail's pace in the traffic flow. Tang Ruoyao leaned drowsily against Qin Yinong's shoulder, half asleep and half awake, feeling an itch on her face. She almost opened her eyes to check but resisted the urge at the critical moment.

Cool fingertips traced her cheek, gently and slowly, then brushed through her hair, carrying an obvious sense of love and cherishing.

A barely perceptible curve formed at the corner of Tang Ruoyao's lips, and Qin Yinong caught it.

She paused for a moment, her gaze flickering, and did not retract her fingers. Her thumb continued to lightly caress the young woman's face.

A red light.

Guan Han started stepping on the brakes from a distance, slowing down, and stopped smoothly before the stop line, without startling the two people sitting in the back seat. Guan Han looked through the rearview mirror and saw Tang Ruoyao sleeping with her head on Qin Yinong's shoulder. Qin Yinong lowered her head and gazed attentively at Tang Ruoyao, her eyes filled with gentle affection.

Why haven't they gotten married yet? Guan Han questioned herself on a daily basis.

Perhaps her resentment was too strong within the confined space of the car. Qin Yinong suddenly raised her head and met Guan Han's eyes in the rearview mirror. Her gaze was ambiguous. Guan Han jolted and immediately dismissed her scattered thoughts, looking at the red light ticking away in front of her.

Qin Yinong squinted her eyes slightly. Lately, her assistant's gaze had become increasingly profound, occasionally shining like she had just put in eye drops.

What was she thinking?

The traffic light turned green from red, and Guan Han released the brake and pressed the accelerator. After driving for a while, she felt Qin Yinong's gaze leave her back. She subtly straightened her spine, feeling a faint cold sweat on her back.

Why was she looking at me when she has a wife? She scared me. Guan Han silently thought.

"Qin Jie, we've arrived." Guan Han didn't want to disturb the lovey-dovey couple, but her car had already entered the hospital parking lot.

Qin Yinong retracted her hand and casually woke up Tang Ruoyao, saying, "Miss Tang."

Tang Ruoyao pretended to have just woken up and rubbed her sleepy eyes. "We've arrived?"

Qin Yinong made a sound of agreement, her voice subtly carrying tenderness.

Taking the opportunity, Tang Ruoyao snuggled into her embrace, nuzzling affectionately like a nursing animal. She murmured in an adorable tone, "I'm so sleepy."

Qin Yinong froze.

Sensing her stiffness, Tang Ruoyao counted a few seconds in her heart—One, two, three—and took the initiative to leave before Qin Yinong pushed her away. She put on the black mask she had prepared in advance and reached out to give Qin Yinong one as well.

Qin Yinong took the mask and said, "I'll put it on myself."

Tang Ruoyao smiled and didn't insist.

The two of them wore matching black baseball caps and masks, all prepared by Guan Han herself, and Qin Yinong didn't notice anything unusual. They discreetly made their way to the inpatient department. Tang Ruoyao, being familiar with the route, walked a few steps faster, deliberately leaving Qin Yinong behind, and then walked back, pretending to be afraid of losing her. She held Qin Yinong's wrist, gently caressing her smooth skin with her fingertip, taking advantage of the situation along the way.

Qin Yinong: "..."

Don't think she can't see that Tang Ruoyao is doing it on purpose!

But so what if it's intentional? Tang Ruoyao knows well that she won't resist. Unprovoked closeness would make Qin Yinong refuse, but as long as she gives her even a loophole-ridden excuse, she will half-heartedly comply.

Seemingly stubborn, but actually soft-hearted, with a temperament that is unbelievably soft, and of course, the softest part is...

Last night was the perfect timing and opportunity, irresistible emotions. No one is at fault, so let's forget about it. Tang Ruoyao has already come up with a good reason for her. Unfortunately, Qin Yinong never mentioned it, treating it as if nothing happened. Tang Ruoyao couldn't coax her with a straight face, it could easily backfire.

She's really adorable.

Tang Ruoyao sighed sweetly in her heart countless times.

The corners of her lips under the mask couldn't help but lift high, and her eyes curved like crescent moons.

People in the hospital hurriedly passed by, unaware that they were brushing shoulders with two famous celebrities. When they reached the ward, Guan Han was the last to come in. She closed the door behind her and locked it.

The caregiver turned around and asked, "Who are you?"

Tang Ruoyao took off her mask.

The caregiver's attitude immediately became friendly. "Oh, it's Xiao Tang. You're back again."

Tang Ruoyao walked over and looked at the man sleeping on the bed. She said, "I came to see my father. How has he been lately?"

The caregiver sighed and said, "The same as before." Her sigh was a professional one. After taking care of him for so long, she had exhausted all her sympathy.

Tang Ruoyao took out the red envelope she had prepared in advance from her bag and handed it to the caregiver.

The caregiver repeatedly declined, "How can I accept this? The money you usually give is already enough."

"Just take it." Tang Ruoyao forcefully placed it in her hand. The caregiver couldn't refuse any longer and had to accept it.

Having seen extreme news about caregivers abusing patients on television and in the news, this caregiver had been taking care of Tang Hanzhang since he stabilized, giving her full dedication. Tang Ruoyao didn't mind spending more money on this and just hoped that Tang Hanzhang would receive good care.

After accepting the red envelope, the caregiver felt uneasy and said, "Have you had dinner? I'll go get you something." She glanced at the woman standing not far from the entrance, wearing a white tracksuit, tall with a good figure, wearing a mask that only revealed half of her face above the bridge of her nose, enough to make people marvel at her beauty.

Taking another look at Tang Ruoyao, it's true that beautiful people tend to gather together.

Tang Ruoyao said, "I've already eaten. You go ahead and do your work. I'll talk to my dad for a while."

The caregiver made a sound of acknowledgment and left, saying. "Let me know if you need anything."

Qin Yinong took off her hat and mask, and Guan Han took them from her and held them in her hands.

Qin Yinong stared at Tang Hanzhang on the hospital bed, who appeared particularly aged due to his long-term immobility. She didn't have clear memories of their childhood, only vague recollections. Tang Hanzhang seemed to be a man who wore glasses and had a scholarly demeanor. Tang Ruoyao's biological mother was exceptionally beautiful, and the couple had a loving relationship. It was rare in the residential building where neighbors' wives and husbands often quarreled loudly.

When she was young, Qin Yinong had envied the atmosphere in the Tang family and had also envied Tang Ruoyao for being born and raised in such a happy family. However, fate played a cruel trick, and Zhuo Peiyun unexpectedly passed away, shattering the once harmonious family of three. Tang Ruoyao moved out with her father and gained a stepmother and a half-brother from her father's previous marriage.

If Zhuo Peiyun hadn't passed away, or if the Tang family hadn't moved away, what would it be like now?

Tang Ruoyao had been staring at Qin Yinong for quite a while.

Her eyes were fixated on Tang Hanzhang as soon as she arrived, as if she was looking at him, or perhaps looking through him at something extremely distant, her gaze filled with melancholy.

"Senior Qin?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know my dad?" Tang Ruoyao blurted out this strange thought.

"I don't know him." Qin Yinong withdrew her gaze, changed the subject, and calmly said, "Have you ever thought about bringing your dad to the capital?"

"I have, but it's not possible right now." Tang Ruoyao even finds it challenging to take care of Tang Fei, let alone Tang Hanzhang. He has already gotten used to living here, and the caregiver was reliable. She comes back to visit from time to time, so there's no need to move him for now.

"I see."

With Qin Yinong's interruption, Tang Ruoyao pushed aside her earlier thoughts.

"Oh, by the way," Tang Ruoyao crouched down and rummaged through a locked album in a cabinet at the head of the bed, saying, "Didn't you say you wanted to see my mom's photos? They're all in here."

Qin Yinong reached out to take it, but Tang Ruoyao didn't give it to her. Instead, she sat down in a chair by the window with the album and brought another chair over, clearly indicating her intention.

Qin Yinong: "..." sat down beside her.

Tang Ruoyao opened the album, and they looked at it together, their shoulders touching, and their heads close together.

The gentle evening breeze brushed their hair, intertwining it. Tang Ruoyao accidentally tilted her head, and her lips brushed against Qin Yinong's cool and smooth cheek.

Author's Note:

There are still some clues in the album, but I can't finish writing them all, so I'll release this much for now.

PS: Let me tell you what happened last night. Qin Jiejie (older sister) got high and was very excited, but she was having fun outside. The tissues are for wiping off water, but there was a lot more water this time, so they used quite a few tissues...

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